Misc. Car Detailing

[Stuart F.]

I have a show coming up this weekend and have most all preparations done except for two;

1) I have black rubber floor mats that tend to get wet and greasy all by themselves. At first I thought my heater core was leaking again, but I just replaced that a year ago. Also, it is on both the driver and passenger side mats. It's like a greasy/oily film with a shiny wet look. My son had the car for a while and he thinks it's because he used Armorall on them and it is continuing to leach out. I wash them one week and they are back looking like that in two.

2) I have two of my four Goodyear white wall tires that tend to turn yellow while just sitting in the garage. Why just two?

I use Westley's bleach type cleaner on both.

Any ideas??

Stu Fox

[Tom H.]

Re: Misc. Car Detailing

Hi Stu !!

Pretty strange on the tires. Are the two that turn yellow on the front or back or left or right side ?? Anything next to the car that might cause it ?? Windows, open doors, etc ?? My guess is it's just the batch the tires came from.

The floor mats, I'd have to guess are new repros that are giving off some kind of chemical from inside the mat. Probably won't be able to do much to stop that !! Could possibly be residue from the Armor All too.

Two strange conditions. Wish I had better answers for ya !

[Edward J.]

Re: Misc. Car Detailing

Stu, There maybe some petroleum or chemical in the armor all thats breaking down the rubber matts , maybe a little Dawn dish washing liquid will help remove any left over armor all. As for the tires, It seems that I always remember white walls turn yellow after a few weeks , it just seems normal to me, but to see two that don't, The only thing I could think of is that maybe the tires are done in batches and that maybe no two batches could be the exact same.

[Gerard F.]

Re: Misc. Car Detailing

Stu,

No smoking around the tires or in the garage.

Maybe it's that Florida humidity.

Just kidding, I don't know.

[Stuart F.]

Re: Misc. Car Detailing

Thanks for the suggestions and expressions. I'll try the dish washing detergent on the mats. They are about 20+ years old and didn't used to do that. Guess the first I noticed was when my heater core went bad and, in checking my records, that was 2003 - WOW! how time flies. Perhaps the antifreeze soaks into the rubber and leaches out with the heat.

There too, I guess I should expect the tires to yellow and didn't realize how long the car has sat since last cleaning. I'm pretty sure I cleaned it since the winter meet - Oh my gosh! It's been an awfully hot/wet summer so I'm lucky to get out probably once a month. I put air in them yesterday and found they all had dropped from 30 to 24 psi (at least they are consistent).

Thanks again for your responses. Hope you all enjoy your fall. My driving season is just starting here, or at least as soon as the love bugs have all had their fun.

Stu Fox

[Paul J.]

Re: Misc. Car Detailing

Thanks for the suggestions and expressions. I'll try the dish washing detergent on the mats. They are about 20+ years old and didn't used to do that. Guess the first I noticed was when my heater core went bad and, in checking my records, that was 2003 - WOW! how time flies. Perhaps the antifreeze soaks into the rubber and leaches out with the heat.

Stu Fox

I think you found the problem, Stu. Before you wash them, sit them out in the sun for a while.

Paul

[Terry M.]

Re: Misc. Car Detailing

Stu,

For NCRS judging it doesn't matter what the floor mats do. The mats should be out of the car when the judges come, and they will not judge them because they are not part of the delivered equipment on your mid-year. If you are going for one of those car cleaning judgings you are out of my league, and I have no help to offer.

In a thread some time ago I recall someone posted that they had problems keeping their white walls white, and it was suggested that if the tires are ever stored with the white portion of the tire contacting the black portion of another tire the chemicals in the black part will transfer into the white and the result is what you have. I don't know if modern tires do this, but it was stated that this transfer is one of the reasons new tires were wrapped years ago. No solution was offered, and it was implied that there is none.

[Stuart F.]

Re: Misc. Car Detailing

Terry;

I too recall some discussion a month or so back in a thread that may have strayed from it's original subject, and that's probably why I can't find it. Someone offered a suggestion on how to "pull" the chemical or material out of the rubber - something like using mineral spirits???

My main reason for solving my floor mat problem before this next show was primarily for safety concerns as I'm not as nimble as I once was. The wet film that forms on the mats is just like oil in that when I get into the car my feet slide forward, and some of the stuff gets on my shoes which makes the pedals slippery. Not Good. I usually only use the mats for driving to keep the carpets fresh.

Thanks for your post.

Stu Fox

[Terry M.]

Re: Misc. Car Detailing

Terry;

I too recall some discussion a month or so back in a thread that may have strayed from it's original subject, and that's probably why I can't find it. Someone offered a suggestion on how to "pull" the chemical or material out of the rubber - something like using mineral spirits???

My main reason for solving my floor mat problem before this next show was primarily for safety concerns as I'm not as nimble as I once was. The wet film that forms on the mats is just like oil in that when I get into the car my feet slide forward, and some of the stuff gets on my shoes which makes the pedals slippery. Not Good. I usually only use the mats for driving to keep the carpets fresh.

Thanks for your post.

Stu Fox

I couldn't find that thread either, and I can't recall the suggested solution either -- I think I am seeing a trend here.

None of us are as nimble as we once were, and some of us never were what one might call nimble.

If you can clean them well, and it lasts a day or more -- your trip to the car show should be safe. Just clean the mats before the show. I suggest the same thing for the white walls. Maybe someone can find that thread for us.

[Joe C.]

Re: Misc. Car Detailing

Stu,

I had that happen to some reproduction windshield washer hoses, as well as the coolant tank overflow hose. I would wipe them off every couple months with lacquer thinner, but the oily film would soon reappear. After doing that about 4 times, I replaced them with OTC Dorman hoses.

[Stuart F.]

Re: Misc. Car Detailing

Terry and Joe;

Could that thread been about Tire storage?? I know we went through the "stacked atop each other" and "standing up on their treads" and the like.

Well, got to run to the store now before the rains PM arrive. I'll research when I return.

Thanks again guys.

Stu Fox

[Joe C.]

Re: Misc. Car Detailing

Stu,

For NCRS judging it doesn't matter what the floor mats do. The mats should be out of the car when the judges come, and they will not judge them because they are not part of the delivered equipment on your mid-year. If you are going for one of those car cleaning judgings you are out of my league, and I have no help to offer.

In a thread some time ago I recall someone posted that they had problems keeping their white walls white, and it was suggested that if the tires are ever stored with the white portion of the tire contacting the black portion of another tire the chemicals in the black part will transfer into the white and the result is what you have. I don't know if modern tires do this, but it was stated that this transfer is one of the reasons new tires were wrapped years ago. No solution was offered, and it was implied that there is none.

Look at any C4 where the carbon black rubber seal on the ends of the dashboard for the defroster ducts contact the inner door panels. Unless the panels are black, you'll clearly see black mirror image of the seals. I tried to remove it once, with solvent (prep-sol, mineral spirits, gasoline, alcohol) but no luck.

[Terry M.]

Re: Misc. Car Detailing

I think this is it Stu. Not quite as clear an answer as I "recall" but this is the best I could do. I got to run too. I need some more drugs.

Edit add: How about including the link DUUH:

https://www.forums.ncrs.org/showthread.php?t=80192&highlight=%22tire+storage%22&uid=5441

[Stuart F.]

Re: Misc. Car Detailing

Terry;

BINGO! That's the thread. It was short but good. Learned somethings to check into further.

Thanks for locating it.

I get most of my drugs by mail, and just learned I fell into the dreaded donut hole - ouch!

Stu Fox

[Terry M.]

Re: Misc. Car Detailing

Me too usually but the doc and I are chasing an issue and it is try this and call me in a week and if this doesn't work we can try that. That kind of stuff comes locally, and they email me when the script is ready. Modern technology.

A bank around here (now long absorbed by someone else) used to serve coffee and doughnut holes.

Good luck at the show.